


after-effects

by Hellokaelyn



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, Post-Episode: s16e18 Mona Lisa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-05 10:50:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18364514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellokaelyn/pseuds/Hellokaelyn
Summary: Ellie starts noticing things about Nick weeks after the fact.





	after-effects

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by what someone wrote on the torresandbishop blog on Tumblr.
> 
> I can't help it with these post-episode fics! Though I THINK this is my last one.

Weeks passed by slowly but somehow quickly at the same time after everything that happened. Cold weather shifted into sunshine and days where you could walk outside feeling the heat of the sun on your skin. 

Ellie admits it took her till then to notice. 

Half of that she'd blame on the fact it took them a while to erase the tension between them, it took a lot of apologizing from her but also understanding on both ends. But it still took her so long to notice things she usually would have and that irritated her. 

No longer did Nick talk about nights out, no woman mentioned not even as a passing comment, he never invited any of them out like before and instead waited for someone else to make plans to go out, and Ellie had noticed him using the NCIS gym instead of going to his own. 

It wasn't until she ran into one of the guys from his group of friends that it all fell into place and her suspicions were confirmed. 

_ “Hey Randy!” Ellie said with a grin when she spotted Nick's friend standing in front of the frozen foods aisle.  _

_ He turned a little in surprise at hearing his name, probably a little too focused on which frozen pizza he wanted.  _

_ “Ellie! Haven't seen you in a while.” Randy returned the grin and gave her a one armed hug, their other hands occupied holding their baskets.  _

_ “Yeah, Nick hasn't been asking if I want to join you guys lately.” She figured why, he probably was hesitant to let her into his personal life so easily again.  _

_ Randy gave her a confused look. “That's because he hasn't been going out with us.” _

_ Ellie stopped short in her thoughts. “What?” _

_ “We've asked him to go out every time but he turns us down, and the last time he did go to the bar with us he was..tense the whole night especially when a girl came up to him.” Randy's face flashed with concern. “Usually he'd at least flirt with them a little but there was nothing not even a glance, me and the guys pretty much formed a wall around him after a while ‘cause he started looking a little panicked but refused to leave when we asked if he wanted to. Hasn't been out with us since.” _

_ She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. It seems what happened effected him more than she realized. He was protecting himself with a slight case of paranoia though it was understandable. Woman coming up to him made him wary, and was wary of the people around him. Then there was the fact him not going out with the guys meant the team was the only times it seemed he was going out.. _

_ “What about the gym?” She asked, Randy and the guys all went to the same gym as Nick though rarely at the same times with Nick's schedule.  _

_ Randy shook his head. “He cancelled his membership, which we all found completely odd but with how he had been acting none of us wanted to question him about it.”  _

_ That sick feeling grew. She didn't blame him for no longer feeling comfortable or even safe at his gym.  _

_ “Um thanks for telling me all this Randy.” _

_ “Yeah sure..” He gave her a look. “Shouldn't you have known all this though? I mean I know you two are pretty close or else he wouldn't invite you out with us occasionally.”  _

_ Ellie sighed. “We uh had a sort of fight, we're fine now but-” _

_ Randy held up his hand. “No worries Ellie, I understand. You two will be back to normal in no time.” _

_ “I hope so.” _

_ “Oh believe me.” Randy chuckled. “You two will be fine.” _

After that Ellie decided to watch him more closely. He laughed and joked like before, but there was something in his eyes. He never went out with them unless it was with at least two people the only exceptions being if they weren't going out in public, like if they went to his or her apartment or he went over to McGee's for dinner. Then there was the biggest thing she noticed, if anyone other than the team or another friend at work touched him in any way he would tense up and for a second not breathe as if he was waiting for something. 

It didn't seem to cause any problems when they were working a case. But something was bound to happen. Luckily she was the only one with him (and it wasn't during a life or death situation), Gibbs and McGee having gone back already leaving her and Nick still at the crime scene. 

The sister of their victim had asked them if it wasn't any trouble to look for a gold and very expensive watch she feared may have been taken, it had been their dad's and she knew her brother would have been devastated if one of the only things they had left of their dad was stolen. 

Nick had been the one to find it, and given it to her. Neither of them expected her to start crying and hug Nick before leaving.

And Ellie didn't expect for it to send him into a panic attack. 

She slowly touched him, and when he didn't react to her touch she made him sit on the curb. Crouching down in front of him, she grabbed his hands in hers. 

“Nick, you have to try and breathe with me.” Her voice soft and soothing. “Just listen to my voice and breathe with me okay?” 

Ellie starting counting while breathing in and out, directing him along with her. Nick gripped her hands tightly and squeezed his eyes shut while he tried to follow her. 

Her thumbs ran along the back of his hands as he started to breathe. 

“I'm sorry.” He said, his voice hoarse after he got control of his breathing. 

“It happens Nick, I've had plenty of them myself.” 

Nick scoffed. “Not to me.”

Ellie rolled her eyes but didn't say anything.

“We don't have to mention this to Gibbs do we?” He mumbled.

“No, though I do think you should talk to Jack again.” 

She knew he had talked with Jack a few times after everything, but it seemed that wasn't enough. 

Nick grumbled. “Do I have to?”

Ellie sighed. “Nick there's a lot more going on with you then what happened just now..I noticed some things myself, but I also ran into Randy.” 

“He always did talk too much.” Nick said with a groan. 

Her lips lifted a little. “Just talk to Jack, for me?” His eyes lifted to hers. She watched him swallow before he nodded. “And also- don't push your friends away. You guys can just hang out at one of your apartments, they care about you Nick and wouldn't mind not going out to a club or a bar.” 

“Will you come with me?” 

Ellie smiled and squeezed his hands, neither of them bothered by the fact they hadn't pulled away. “Yes. Just as long as the guys don't mind.”

Nick chuckled. “They all like you Ellie, none of them will mind.” 

“I like them too, even if they can be..something else.” She said with a laugh, thinking back to the time she hung out with them and they had decided to play twister even though they were all a bit muscled so there wasn't much room to begin with. She remembered the fight that had broke out between Randy and Kellan when Kellan had purposely made a comment about Randy's ass that completely threw him off balance, making Kellan the winner. 

Nick groaned with a laugh. “Isn't that the truth.” 

“Come on.” Ellie said standing up. Nick stood with her. “Let's wrap this up and get back before Gibbs calls wondering what's taking us so long.” 

Later when the case was over Ellie had a small case of deja vu as she watched Nick walk up to Jack who was standing in the exact same spot. Except this time there was no twisting of her stomach, no guilt slowly starting to rise within her as she started going over it in her head and thinking of the look on his face. And this time Nick looked back at her, a little smile of thanks on his lips. Ellie smiled back, giving him a thumbs up as she watched them until they were out of view. She turned and sat at her desk, this time they  _ were _ getting dinner. 


End file.
